I thought WEP required a pw to get on your network. How is it easy to breach without the network password? Also, if you have a wireless router and you plug your pc into it, doesn't that eliminate any weak security with using wireless?

I have FIOS. I run their modem via cable to my own router and to my own switch. My wireless router support WPA2 and is N compatible. The modem they supply only supports b/g not n. I have wireless on the verizon modem disabled.

And if you do use their modem and WEP, just filter access via the MAC address of your laptop.

wep is not secured. 64bit wep can usually be cracked within 5 minutes (given the right tools ie. wifi card that supports monitor/injection). 128bit requires a lot more iv's which delays the cracking process, usually takes about 10-15 minutes. all of these are contingent on a good wifi signal to the "hacker" and some network traffic on the network (whether from the wireless or the wired network)

google aircrack

wpa/2 is very secured. just don't use a word for a password. the only method to crack wpa/2 is dictionary/brute-force, both of which take too much time to perform.

someone connected on the wireless network poses a security risk on the wired connections, unless there is a firewall/router of some type that separates the wireless and the wired networks.

I connect via wired to my trading computer, I don't think there's any security issue in that. May even be more secure than cable, but who knows.

New router version handles wpa2 for wireless in any case.

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it is more secure than cable. right now you most likely having dedicated line between you and verizon. cable is shared network. during a bad weekend all neighborhood jumps on internet-speed die. regarding security-i;m using fios for like 5 years already. never saw anything suspicious in router log. but if this is not enough and if you "must" have wireless for rest of the family-use cascade routing. wireless first(all family can use it, WPA2,MAC address enabled off course+ strong password), then-wired router for trading connected into wireless.